India in the Eighteenth Century

Though he was quite old (65) and his rule quite short there are many significant achievements he made

He reversed the narrow minded and antagonistic policies of Aurungzeb

Made agreements with Rajput states

Granted sardeshmukhi to Marathas but not Chauth

Released Shahuji (son of Sambhaji) from prison (who later fought with Tarabai)

Tried to make peace with Guru Gobind Sahib by giving him a high Mansab. After Guru’s death, Sikhs again revolted under the leadership of Banda Bahadur. This led to a prolonged war with the Sikhs.

Made peace with Chhatarsal, the Bundela chief and Churaman, the Jat chief.

State finances deteriorated

Jahandar Shah (1712-13)

Death of Bahadur Shah plunged the empire into a civil war

A noted feature of this time was the prominence of the nobles

Jahandar Shah, son of Bahadur Shah, ascended the throne in 1712 with help from Zulfikar Khan

Was a weak ruler devoted only to pleasures

Zulfikar Khan, his wazir, was virtually the head of the administration

ZK abolished jizyah

Peace with Rajputs: Jai Singh of Amber was made the Governor of Malwa. Ajit Singh of Marwar was made the Governor of Gujarat.

Chauth and Sardeshmukh granted to Marathas. However, Mughals were to collect it and then hand it over to the Marathas.

Continued the policy of suppression towards Banda Bahadur and Sikhs

Ijarah: (revenue farming) the government began to contract with revenue farmers and middlemen to pay the government a fixed amount of money while they were left free to collect whatever they could from the peasants

Jahandhar Shah defeated in January 1713 by his nephew Farrukh Siyar at Agra